A teleserye dialogue from GMA-7's 'The Borrowed Wife" drew the ire of call center agents saying the actor's lines were "insulting" and "belittling" to their chosen profession, according to an Inquirer news report.
In the pilot episode of the television series, which stars Pauleen Luna and Camille Prats, the lead actors exchanged lines, saying “Hindi ako nag-aaral para sumagot lang ng telepono! (I did not go to school just to answer phone calls!)” and “pang walang pinag-aralan lang ‘yan (that job’s only for uneducated people).”
A certain JM Cruz, a call center agent and creator of a local call center podcast, wrote:
“We strongly condemn this kind of mockery. The nerve of these supposed writers to discriminate against an industry they know nothing about!”
“The gall to belittle an industry with billions in revenues making it one of the chief economic drivers of this country. An industry that employs hundreds of thousands of hardworking people who pay billions in taxes to the government. What about them? How much do they know? How much research have they done to make such sweeping, degrading statements?”
“We will not take these things sitting down, we will pursue this unless mistakes are rectified. This is the height of irresponsibility, the height of insensitivity and unprofessionalism on the part of GMA network and its producers.”
Another call center agent, Khawen dela Peña said:
“Never underestimate someone else’s job especially if you don’t have any idea how hard that job is being done. When you say call center, do not think that it’s all about ‘just’ taking in calls. I think if the writers will work the same job as ours, they’ll understand.”
Anna Katrina Sebetero Fernandez, also a call center agent, wrote:
“Hinahaluan namin yan ng tender-loving care. ‘Yung kahit hindi mo sila nakikita at nasa ibang panig man sila ng mundo dapat mo silang pakisamahan dahil customer mo sila (We talk to our customers with tender loving care. You do not see the people you talk to, who are of different nationalities, but you have to get along with them),”
“Subukan mong mag-apply sa BPO. Try mo i-meet ang mga target. Try mo kainin at lunukin lahat ng mura ng galit na customer (Try applying in a BPO. Try meeting the targets. Try absorbing the rage and curses of customers).”
“At hindi kami mga bobo sa BPO. Ayusin niyo ang pagre-research tungkol sa amin. Hindi niyo alam ang kalakaran ng industriya na ito (We, in BPOs, are not stupid people. Do your research well. You don’t know our industry).”
GMA-7 and the production team of "The Borrowed Wife" has yet to comment on the issue.
The BPO industry in the Philippines has grown 46% annually since 2006. In its 2013 top 100 ranking of global outsourcing destinations, Tholons, a US-based strategic advisory firm for global outsourcing and investments, has ranked the Philippine capital Manila number 3, lifting it 1 notch to knock off India’s New Delhi from number 3 spot in 2012 to number 4 in 2013.